The threshold for exemption from military service has been tightened substantially — bad news for young men who would previously have qualified for exemption, but good news for the armed forces, which face a shortage of personnel.

• The new "Standards for the Classification of Physical Fitness" take effect on October 31, with 189 items revised. The exemption rate is projected to fall from 16% to 8%.
• The body weight threshold has been loosened the most: previously a BMI above 35 qualified for exemption, but in future only a BMI above 45 will do so.
• The intelligence standard has also changed. Those with an IQ between 70 and 84 will no longer be exempt, and will instead be classified as Grade B for alternative service, performing office duties or social service work.
• Based on an estimated 90,000 conscripts undergoing physical examinations each year, the standing force would gain roughly 4,500 people annually and alternative service 2,700.
• The Ministry of the Interior stresses that these are not the strictest standards ever imposed, but a return to those in place from 2003 to 2007, and that Taiwan's exemption rate remains higher than South Korea's and Singapore's.

Outlook: Conscripts in poorer physical condition will be grouped into dedicated training units stationed close to medical facilities, making physical conditioning and safety after they enter service the next focus of attention.